Grain separator



Nov. l, 1938. H. JOHNSON GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed Sep. 5o, 1955 5Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HHRRY L. JoHNso/v BY m ATTORNEY.

N0v.1,193s. H LJOHNSON 2,135,343

GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 30, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Nov.` l, 193,8.

H. L. JOHNSON GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 30, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v ATTORNEY.

Nov. 1, 1938.

H. .JOHNSON GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 50, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. /HRY L.V JOHN$0N ATTORNEY.

Nov. l, 1938. H. L.. JOHNSON GRAIN SEPARATOR Filed sept. 3o

, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N V EN TOR. H/Y Y L. 10H/V50 A TTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of grain separation and the mainobject is to provide a comparatively simple, compact, and practicalmachine that will receive a heterogeneous or conglomerate mass of seed,small wheat, large wheat, oats, and/or other grains and efficientlyseparate such mass into its constituent elements in a minimum space oftime and with a minimum amount of power and equipment. Further objectsare to provide improved means for conveying and distributing the grainflows within the machine, and means for driving, cleaning, adjusting andregulating the various machine parts. The machine incorporates andutilizes some of V the features disclosed and claimed in my UnitedStates Patent No. 1,912,375 issued June 6th, 1933 for Grain cleaning andseparating machine, and is also capable of use in association with thescalping and aspirating mechanisms disclosed in United States Patent No.1,966,443 issued July 17th, 1934 to Carl C. Gray and myself as jointpatentees. In further particular the present invention includes numerousfeatures, details of construction, and advantages disclosed in theaccompanying drawings and set forth in the following specification andclaims. In said drawings- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of what may beconveniently referred to as the front end of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the machine as onthe lines 3-3 in Figs. 1 and 2, but with fractional portions brokenaway.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, cross sectional elevation on the line 4 4 in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is av detail section on line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of the trough clean-out device as seenon line 6 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section on line l-T in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a detail, sectional plan View on the line 8-8 in Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawings more particularly and by referencecharacters,v Ill designates the front wall of an outer case or housinghaving a rear wall II, top l2, and side walls I3 and I4.

The grain separating work is performed by three cylinders A, B, and Cwhich are rotatably mounted within the housing and successively act uponthe grain flow to respectively remove selective sizes of grain kernelsuntil the entire original mass is segregated or separated into itsconstituent elements and as such delivered from the machine. Each ofthese cylinders A, B, and C receives grain into its trough-like bottomand has its inner surface provided with profusely distributed pockets orindents I5 which, as the cylinder rotates under the grain body, willreceive the relatively smaller particles or kernels and carry them upuntil they drop out into a receiving trough disposed within thecylinder. This method of separation which has proved commerciallysuccessful in practice is fully disclosed in my aforementioned PatentNo. 1,912,375, and the present invention primarily concerns itself withthe arrangement of cylinders, flow control, adjusting devices, etc., allto the end that this method of separation may be practiced with agreater degree of efliciency, speed, and uniformity of results.

The machine is provided at one end here designated as the rear, with anupper receiving hopper i5 which initially receives the unseparated grainmass. hopper in any suitable manner, and may be dis-l charged fromascalper or aspirator placed on topof the housing. lil- IIL as indicatedin Fig. 1

Such grain may be filled into the of the aforementioned Gray and JohnsonPatent No. 1,966,443. It may also be explained that it is frequentlydesirable to simultaneously employ several separating units, such ashere disclosed,

' in one machine, in which event such units are secured together sidebyside, suitable power connections are made to each unit, and grain may beuniformly distributed and fed to the respective units as by a feedmechanism such as shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8, and l0 of said Patent No.1,966,443.

The grain mass placed in hopper I 6 is immediately discharged into therear end of rotating cylinder A, and as the grain body moves forwardlyand transversely under the cylinder movement all particlesl areeventually brought into contact with the indented inner surface of thecylinder.

As the grain moves lengthwise of the cylinder A it drops into thepockets or indents I5 which tend to carry it upwardly toward the ledgeIl, and the grain which passes over the edge of this ledge drops into atrough I8 which extends about the sides and under the .bottom ofseparating cylinder B. The grain passing through the cylinder A tends tolodge in the indents I 5 as the cylinder rotates, and when the cylinderwall approaches the vertical the grain particles that are too large tobe received by the indents will fall back, but the wheat (if the machineis a wheat separator) and all small-er seed and particles will remain inthe indents until forced out by gravity. The maximum size of the wheatand other particles delivered into the trough I8 will of courseprimarily depend upon the size and conformation of the indents'IE, butWithin certain limits the size ofparticles delivered over the ledge I'Iwill also depend upon the speed of the cylinder and the relative heightof the ledge II, both factors of which are subject toV adjustment inorder that the desired results may be had, as will presently bedescribed.

Thus the cylinder A operates to divide or separate the grain body. intotwo parts', one having the relatively smaller particles being deliveredinto thertroughl I8, while the other part, including all kernels andparticles too large to Abe conveyed by the pockets I5 of' theV cylinderA 'are discharged through a port I9 at the front end of the cylinder anddropsdown through a delivery spout into the forward end of a conveyorthe same direction and Vis concentric within thev trough I8. Theoutersurface ofthe cylinder B iseprovided with a spiral feedscrew 22 whichoperates in the trough I8 to move'th'e grain there,- in rearwardly whereitaccumulates and builds up against the rear wall2'3 of the trough,where it is picked up by blades 24 V'and delivered through openings inthe rear end wall 25 of the cylinder B. The grain thus passing into andthrough the cylinderB is subjected to a separating action similar tothat which previously took place in cylinder A, but inasmuch as thepockets I 5- of cylinder B are smaller than pockets I5 of cylinder A,the grain delivered into cylinder B will vagainbe separated into twoparts, the finer or smaller particles being delivered up into atrough 26while the'larger particles .which pass'through the cylinder B aredelivered out througha spout 2'I. The smaller sized grain delivered intothe trough 26 is conveyed therefrom by a conveyor screw 28 which isrotatably .mounted therein, and is discharged thereby from the machinethrough a discharge s'pout'29'. The coarser body of grain dischargedthrough the port I9 from Vthe outer cylinder A drop'sunder gravitythrough the chute 20'jinto theconve'yor cylinderor tube 2I.Y This tubeis provided with an internal. feed screw'30fand anY external feed screw3|, both of which are rigidly secured to the tube and rotate togetherwith it and with the shaft 32,upon which Ythese elements are mounted.

'I'he grain fed into the forward end of the tube 2IV is conveyed by thescrewr3l)V rearwardly and is discharged into the rearV end of thecylinder C, which is also provided with indents I5 but which indents areof a largersize than those of either of the cylinders A or B.Consequently the grain supplied to cylinder C is divided or separatedinto ltwo parts, the smaller particles 'being carried up by the indentsandv dropped into a trough 33, while the larger particles are dischargedfrom the machine through a delivery spout 34. The conveyor screw 3|Voperating in the troughY 33 acts upon the grain delivered into thistrough to convey it forwardly where it is discharged from the machinethrough a deliveryV spout 35.

' As already indicated, the machine maybe used for separating outvarious classes of grain according to the size of the kernels orparticles. If it be assumed that the original mass of grain dumped intothe hopper I6 comprises relatively small and large wheat kernels andalso includes Y seed, sand, or other particles smaller than the smallergrade of wheat, and oatsor Aother larger grains and particles which arelarger than the larger grade of wheat, then the cylinder A will separateout the small wheat and seed. and de'- materials passing to the cylinderC will in turn` be separated into Vtwoparts, one including'the VVlargergrade of wheat which'is carried rover into the trough 33, and'impelledby conveyor screw 3| to the discharge spout 35.

Y The oats and other larger grains and particleswill of course passthrough the cylinder C and be discharged from the machine through thespout 34. Thus the passage of grain through the three cylinders A, B,and C will successively and efficiently separate the original mass ofgrain into four parts, each of which willjcomprise grain of a sizeandcharacter different from the others.

One of the main features of the present inven-r tion is the: provisionof means for insuring the proper progress of the grain through therespective separating cylinders, and Without interfering with the properfunctioning ofthe indents l5 thereof. This feature contemplates theprovision ofdeflector van'es or flights 36 for cylinder A, 31 forcylinder B, and 33 for cylinder C, and these flightsV are respectivelyand rigidly secured to the receiving troughs I8, 26,Y and 33. Theflights are angularly disposed with respect to the axes of therespective cylinders, as best indicated in Fig. 8, and have arcuatelower edges which are parallelwith but spaced inwardly or upwardly withrespect to the inner surfaces of the cylinders so as to provideclearance spaces 39, 40, and 4I (see Figs. 3, 4, '7, and 8).

presently be explained in detail.

It may rst be explained that in a machiney such as shown in my PatentNo. 1,912,375, where similar separating cylinders are employed, ,thelengthwise fiow of grain through the cylinders is dependent entirelyupon cylinder movement agi-.

tation aided by gravity and the incoming grain flow pressure, and whilethe separation principle Vis found to be correct, the grain movementthrough the cylinders is neither entirely efficient nor satisfactory,particularly where high speed separation is desired. Tilting thecylinder axis,

thus accelerating gravity action, 'will facilitateV the flow but isunsatisfactory for many reasons;`

among which are the added complications of bearing and'drivingmechanisms, and the possibility ofi' discharging too rapidly orv beforeall 'grain particles have had an YopportunityY to contact with theVindented cylinder surface.

The use of screw or other conveyors 40 The purpose and function of theflights are identical in each cylinder, andwill This Y objectionwasrecognized in the Gray Patent No.

closed in this application not onlyv permits of the use of horizontallydisposed cylinders but overcomes the objections above notedas found inother devices, and very substantially increases the treating speed andefficiency of the machine, as proven in actual and commercial practice.

The action of the devices in question can best be explained inconnection with the disclosure of Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the flights 38are shown as attached by bolts 42 to the trough 33, and are so disposedthat they will be angularly positioned in the body of grain 43 supportedin and traveling lengthwise through the trough, and assumes the lateralposition shown due to the rotation of the cylinder in the directionindicated by the arrows.

Because of the spacing 4| between the arcuate lower edgesY of theflights 38 and the inner cylinder wall the flights 4I in no wayinfluence or deflect the grain body immediately adjacent to thecylinder, and therefore do not disturb or in any way interfere with theaction of the indents I5 0n the grain. If the flights extended down tosubstantially close the gap 4I they would defeat the very object forwhich they are intended, for the grain would then be pushed rearwardlyby the back faces of the flights and could not pass to the dischargespout 34. If the lower edges of the flights have any retarding action atall on the grain it is merely to prevent a too thick or heavy upwardlayer movement of grain with the cylinder, which in turn insurescylinder surface contact with a maximum amount of grain material. 'I'hereal significance and importance of the flights lies in the fact thatthey contactvthe upper layer or downflow of grain which is not retainedin the upwardly moving indents, and as this released grain rolls backolf 0f the cylinder surface it drops down upon the front surfaces of theflights and is by the action of gravity deflected forwardly where itwill again be progressively subjected to another cylinder treatment orseparation before the next flight again deflects it forwardly. Thus theclearances 4I prevent the flights from in any way interfering with theseparating function, and the flights in addition to increasing theeiliciency of the separation will only progressively advance such grainas has first been in separating contact with the indents travelingupwardly and laterally under it. With l the flights properly angled,spaced, and proportioned it is found that instead of bunching the grainflow up in one end of the cylinder it will pass in a uniform flowthrough it so that the separation work will be uniformly distributedthroughout the length of the cylinder and over a maximum transversearea.

Further important features of the present invention are the provisionswhich I make for cleaning out the trough I8 and for adjusting theposition of the receiving ledge I1. In designing the machine so that itmay accommodate and separate out various classes and sizes of grains itis necessary to provide adjustment to regulate the receiving position ofthe ledge I1 inasmuch as the vertical position of this ledge determinesto a large extent the type of material that is to be discharged from thecylinder A into the trough I8; but the trough I8, unlike troughs 26 and33,

is not tiltably secured as a unit within the cyl-` inder A, but is maderigid with respect to the main housing or frame of the machine proper.For this reason the ledge |1 and the plate 44 of which it is a part ismade adjustable in an aren-- ate path immediately adjacent to theflanged edge 45 of the trough side nearest to it. The plate 44 extendsthe lengthof the trough immediately over the edge flange 45, and isslidably secured at its ends by a pair of clips 46 carried by castings41 (see Fig. 4), and the grain dropping out of indents I5 of cylinder Ainwardly above the ledge I1 will drop upon the ledge and be deflected orconducted into the space between the trough I8 and the cylinder B.

At its opposite ends the plate 44 is provided with lugs 48 connected bylinks 49 to arms 50 of a shaft 5| which is journaled in the machineproper, and extends out through the forward wall Ill as shown in Fig-1.At its outer or forward end the shaft 5| is provided with a casting 52which is rigid with the shaft, and is provided with a handpiece 53 bywhich the casting 52 and shaft 5| may be oscillated. The castin-g has anarcuate slot 54, and adjacent this slot is provided with a series ofnumbers 55 forming a scale readablein connection with a pointer 56 whichis secured to a housing'extension 51 and extends through the slot 54, Aset screw 58 extending through the pointer 56 may be used to releasablysecure the bracket or casting 52 in adjusted positions. It will thus beseen that by releasing the casting 52 and moving it so that apredetermined number 55 will be positioned adjacent the pointer 56, theledge I1 may be adjusted arcuately Within the cylinder A sothat thereceiving angle `or elevation thereof may be controlled as circumstancesmay require.

The trough I8 is provided in its bottom with an inner discharge valleyor gutter 59 (see Fig. 4) formed by the lower converging portions of theside plates which make up the trough as a unit. These lower plateportions are spaced apart to form openings 60, and these openings aremaintained by spacers 6l to which the side plates are secured by Abolts|52.V An angularly bent flange 63 of one of the side plates is providedwith a series of headed studs 64 which pass through angularly disposedslots 65 in a bar 66 which has a handle extension 61 extending throughone end of the machine for manual manipulation. When the bar 66 ispushed inwardly by the handle l61 the angular position of the slots 65causes the bar to move downwardly to close the openings 6D, and the baris maintained in this position during the normal operation of themachine.

When it is desired to clean out the machine l the handle 61 is pulledout, thus raising the bar 66 to open the elongated slot 60 between thetrough plate members. This will permit any accumulation of grain in thetrough, and particularly in the gutter 59, to run out and into contactwith the cylinder A. As the cylinder A then continuesto rotate, thematerial so discharged will be carried up, and if the speed of themachine is slightly reduced will drop back and be deflected by flights36`forwardly until the material has all been removed 'through the portI9 and down into the lower cylinder, where it will be acted upon by thefeed screws 30and 3|, and also the flights 38, until it is entirelyremoved from the machine.

The structural details of the machine may be further described asfollows:

The feed screw 28 within the upper and inner trough 2B is rigidlysecured upon a shaft 68 mounted in bearings 69 and 10', and extendsthrough the hopper I6 at the rear of the machine. Upon its rear end theshaft '68 has a sprocket gear 'II (see Figs. 2 and 3) driven by asprocket chain 12 in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrows.-Thus the conveyor 2liA l0. mounted transversely upon the front end ofthe n machine.

screw 28 operates in a direction-to inov'e' the mad terial in the trough26 forwardly to the discharge -spout 279. The trough 26is also madeadjustable Vfor oscillating movement about the axis of shaft 68fso thatthe elevation of its receiving edge with respect to the-point of grain'discharge from the indents of cylinder B`may be regulatedl This is doneby providing the forward tubular end por-,- tion 'I3 of theVtr'oughfwithv a toothed segment 14 which meshes with a worm 15 of ashaft 16 This shaft, 16 has a hand Wheel ,11 (see` Figs. ,1 and 3)which, when turned, will cause thejworm'15 vto rotate the rack-14 in oneiV directionor the other, and thereby transversely Vtilt the trough.

, To the end that this trough adjustment .may be accuratelyu made, Iprovide the segment 14 with a pointer 18 which is' readable in'connection Y i with an arcuate numbered scale 19 secured upon Vthe frontface of the housing extension 51. 'by turning the hand wheel 11 thepointer 18 will accurately indicate the transverse, tilted positionAThus of the trough 26, and thereby also indicate tothe operator theexact grain 'receiving elevationjof the right edge of the trough, asviewed in Fig. 4. The tubular front end 13 of thetrough merelyoscillates in the front wall'of the housing extension 51, while the rearendof the trough is trunnioned on the shaft 68as at 80.

' The forward end ofthe cylinder B is provided Ywith a rigidly securedand comparatively heavy `flange or ring 8|"which is carried upon rollers82 to thus rotatably support the front end ofthe cylinder B. The'rearend ofthe cylinder is supportedby having-its-rearend wall 25 'rigidly'secured to Va collar 83, which is in turn keyed tothe shaft 68'betweenthebearing members 19 and 80. Thus the shaft not only operativelyYsupports the rear end Vof the cylinder, but also provides the necessarydriving connection to the Vcylinder'. It may'herebe noted,`withparticular reference to Figs. 4 and 5,- that this end wall 25 of thecylinder B is punched out to provide not only the pickup blades 24,l butalso has inwardly angled supplemental blades 84 which Vtend to urge thematerial forwardly into' the cylinder. Y The trough I8, as previouslystated, is stationary within the machine, and merely rests with itsfront end in the housing extension 51, while its rear end is supportedby bracket 85, and in turn supports the bearin-g forthe rear end of theshaft 68. l

The outer cylinder A is rotatably supported by a pair of rollers 86carried by suitable bearingbrackets 81 secured to the front wall of themachine, as shown in Fig. l. The rear of the cylinder Arhas an end' Wall88 to which is secured a large bearing casting 89Y having a groove 98which rotatably engages and is supported upon bearing rollers 9|securedby brackets'92 to the rear'wall II of themain housing, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. ring 93 over which passes a sprocket chain 94 whichalso rotates in a clockwise'. direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. Thusdriving power is conveniently applied to'cylinder A, notwithstanding Ythat it rotates on an axis that is eccentric with The casting 89 has asprocketV power may be" transmitted to 'it froma m'otor or other powerelement. The .rear end of the shaft 95 is mounted ina bearing 91 carriedby the rear wall II of the main housing, andV immediately inside of thisbearing the shaft is provided with a sprocket gear 98 under which passesY the previously mentioned sprocket vchain k94. Outwardly of the bearing91 the shaft 95 has a sprocketgear 99, which drives the lower shaft 32throughY the medium of a sprocket chain .|00 and a sprocket gear IUI.The rear extremity of the .shaft 32V has` a sprocket gear |02 underwhich passes the chain.v 12 from sprocket gear 1I, to thereby .drive theupper shaft 68 and its associated'parts.

In order to form a more Vrigid support for the rear extremity of theshaft'V 32, I -provide a bearing |03 immediately adjacent totheAsprocket gearY |02, and this bearing is supported .in a depending plateor bar |04, the upper end of- Vwhichv isrigidly secured to a rearhousing extension |05 as at |06. Similarly, the rearY extremity of theshaft 68 has a bearing support |91 immediately adjacent to the sprocketgear 1I.

From the drive connections' as thus described it will be seen that allthree of theseparating cylinders, as well as allrof the screw.conveyors,

move in a clockwise Vdirection when looking at and are rotatable on andtogether .with the shaft 32. However, the two conveyor screws and 3| areso designed that they will feed or convey in opposite directions. Thusthe screw 30 will convey material discharged into the tube 2| Vfrom thedown spout 20 rearwardly until it is discharged into the rear end of.the cylinder C; while the feed screw 3| operates upon the separatedgrain discharged into the trough 33 so as to move this materialforwardly until it is dis- Y charged out through the chute 35. n It mayhere be noted thatin order to prevent leakage of grain betweenY theVforward end of v ther tube 2| and the lower end of the spout 20,

I insert a gasket or lining IIO, preferably made of a strip of sheepskinwith the w-ool attached.

The forward end of the separating cylinder C is provided with a rigidring III similar to the previously described ring 8| of cylinder B, andthis ring III is rotatably supported on a pair of rollersY I I2, tothereby also support the forward end of the cylinder. The rear end ofcylinder C'has a closed wall II3 having a collar |I4 which is keyed tothe shaft.32, whereby rotation of the shaft will also rotate thecylinder. Provision is made for oscillating adjustment of the receivingtrough 33, and in order that this adjustment may be effected I mount theforward end of the trough in a supporting ring I I5 of the front housingwall I0, and at its rear I provide the end wall III of the trough withak trunnion I|1 for 4supporting engagement upon the shaft 32.

The mechanism for adjustably regulating the position of the trough 33 isshown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and includes a shaft II8 journaled in thefront housing wall, and having a hand wheel II9 .anchored to a circularextension with graduations thereon to be read in connection with thefixed pointer |20. The inner end of the shaft |I8 is provided with asprocket pinion I2| over which passes a chain |22, the ends of whichextend partially around and are |23 of the trough 33. When the handwheel I|9 is now turned it will be seen that it will operate through theshaft IIS, the pinion |2I, and chain |22, to oscillate the trough 33 andthereby raise or lower the grain receiving edge as may be desired. Whilethe operation of the machine will no doubt be understood from theforegoing description, a brief rsum may be made as follows:

The angles of the troughs I8, 26, and 33 are rst regulated by adjustingthe members 52, 11, and ||9, respectively, these adjustments being madein accordance with a predetermined setting depending upon the characterand class of material to be separated. Power is thus applied to theshaft 95 through the pulley 98 or other -suitable power connection, andat a constant predetermined speed. It will be understood that thedriving speed must be accurately controlled because if the separatingcylinders A, B, and C are driven at too slow a speed they will notproperly ,carry the correct percentage of smaller particles -up and overinto the receiving troughs. On the other hand, if the cylinders aredriven at too fast a speed the centrifugal force thus created will carryover more material than is desired, and the indents I5 will not be ableto perform their separating function; and in fact if the speed is toogreat the centrifugal force will even prevent any of the material frombeing dropped into the troughs. Slight variations in speed, however, arepermissible, and in some cases may be resorted to for the purpose ofcontrolling the separating function.

The mass of unseparated grain delivered to or placed in the hopper I6 isinitially received atthe rear end of the cylinder A which is supportedat its rear by rollers 9|, and at its front by rollers 86, and is drivenby the sprocket chain 94 from the sprocket 08 on shaft 95. The materialthus received progresses forwardly toward the discharge port I9, butbefore arriving at this'point is thoroughly subjected to the separatingaction of the indents I5 of the cylinder. The flights 36 carried by thetrough I8 will in no way interfere with the layer of grain being actedupon by the cylinder A, but will receive the downward flow of treatedgrain, as indicated in Fig. 7, and advance this upper grain flowprogressively through the cylinder until all portions of the grain havebeen in separating contact with the cylinder surface; and by the timethe grain mass reaches the forward end of the cylinder only therelatively larger particles remain to be discharged through the port I9and down through the spout 20 to the tube 2|.

The material which has been separated out by the cylinder A, anddelivered over the ledge I1 into the trough I8, is now moved rearwardlyunder the action of the screw 22 on the outer periphery of the cylinderB, this cylinder being supported at its front by rollers 82, and at itsrear is supported on and driven by the shaft 68, which is rotatedthrough the medium of chainsl 12 and |00, and sprocket gears 1|, |02,|0I, and 99, the last mentioned gear being secured directly on the powershaft 95. As the grain in trough I8 is urged rearwardly by the screw 22it accumulates and piles up against the rear wall 23 of the trough I8,where it is subjected to the pickup action of the vanes or wings 24 and84, and thus conveyed through the cylinder wall 25 and into the cylinderB. Here the grain is subjected to a similar separating action, and isprogressed through the cylinder by fiights 31 which correspond infunction to the ights 36 of cylinder A. Consequently the larger grainparticles ultimately reach the discharge spout 21, while the smallerparticles are dropped into the trough 26 and conveyed by feed screw 28to the discharge spout 29.

The large kernels' or grain particles delivered into the forward end ofthe tube 2| are conveyed through this tube by the feed screw 30 whichrotates with the tube, and discharged into the rear end of cylinder C.The grain is then moved forwardly in this cylinder under the action ofthe flights 38, while the separating action takes place, and the oatsand other larger particles are conveyed to the discharge spout 34; whilethe relatively smaller particles which are dropped into the trough 33are conveyed under the action of feed screw 3| to the discharge spout35. The cylinder C and conveyor members 20, 30, and 3| are of course allsupported at their rear ends on and driven by the shaft 32, receivingpower from shaft 95 through sprocket chain |00.

It will thus be seen that the grain mixture placed in th-e hopper I6 isquickly and efciently separated into four distinct parts or classes,each of which has characteristics different from the others.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a grain separating machine, a rotatable, pocketed separatingcylinder for separating grain from a grain body moving longitudinallytherethrough, a trough for receiving grain elevated by the pockets whenthe cylinder is rotated, and a series of obliquely disposed normallystationary flights disposed in the cylinder below the trough and forprojecting downwardly into said grain body, said flights each beingdisposed at an angle presenting a forward face inclined in the directionof progress of grain axially in the cylinder whereby such forward facewill receive a return flow of unelevated grain and advance it forwardlyin the cylinder, said flights having their lower edges spaced from thecylinder surface sufficiently so as not to interfere with `the grainlayer being elevated thereby.

2. In a grain separating machine, a rotatable, pocketed separatingcylinder for separating grain from a grain body moving longitudinallytherethrough, a trough for receiving grain elevated by the pockets whenthe cylinder is rotated, and a series of obliquely disposed normallystationary flights disposed in the cylinder below the trough and forprojecting downwardly into said grain body, said flights each beingdisposedat an angle presenting a forward face inclined in the directionof progress. of grain axially in the cylinder whereby such forward facewill receive a return flow of unelevated grain and advance it forwardlyin the cylinder, said flights being secured to and carried by the troughand having lower arcuate edges radially spaced from the cylinder surfaceso as to not interfere with the grain separating action of the pocketstherein.

HARRY L. JOHNSON.

